[B1N]

This is the steering wheel I have now, I want to upgrade to an M3 wheel.

Can I use the same Airbag and also paddle shifter if I were to buy a m3 wheel? What else do I need to buy?

Thanks

[1QuikWS6]

Your airbag, trim, will both work with an M3 wheel - allthough you might want to buy one of the other trim's available to change the look - they are all interchangeable (Sport, M Trim, M3 Trim, Alcantara Trim, even the X1 trim)

As far as your multifunction buttons go - easiest (& best IMO) would be to buy the correct multifunction button set that is for your car, that have same button logos - but are for paddle shift car. That is what I did for my 09' E92 when doing the conversion. Buttons are like $75/set, but you have to make sure you buy the correct P/N for paddle shift option.

The new paddle shifters will plug in to the new multifunction buttons. Signals are carried thru the MFB to the clockspring, then out the new conversion harness you will need to install.

You will need:

• M3 DCT Wheel
• M3 DCT Paddles
• Appropriate MFB for your car, same button logo's - but for paddle shift option
• Paddle Shift Retrofit Conversion Wiring Harness

The conversion harness will be needed to allow the paddles to work in your car - since you currently don't have paddles. No coding will be necessary.

You can get the PnP conversion harness from vendors such as BurgerMotorsports:

http://www.burgertuning.com/paddleshift.html

[1QuikWS6]

You can retrofit ANY of the following wheels on your car:

• M Sport Perforated Leather/Leather (MT or AT/Steptronic SSG Paddles)
• M3 Leather Tri-Stitch (MT or AT/DCT Paddles)
• Performance Alcantara Yellow Stripe, Flat Bottom (MT or AT/Steptronic SSG Paddles)
• Performance Alcantara Blue Stripe, Flat Bottom (MT or AT/DCT Paddles)
• Performance Electronic V2 Alcantara, Flat Bottom (MT or AT/Steptronic SSG paddles)

> Steptronic SSG Paddles = both sides shift either UP or DOWN
> DCT Paddles = 1 side shift UP, other side shift DOWN

If you buy MT (Manual Transmission) wheel, you won't have to buy anything else, it will be PnP & re-use all your existing airbag/trim/MFB - but of course you won't have paddle shift...

If you buy AT (Auto Transmission) wheel, you will need to buy the appropriate paddles (SSG or DCT as above), MFB for paddle shift, & the conversion harness as in my above post.

Here are pics of some other trims available:




There are also aftermarket companies out there that make E9x custom wheels in all sorts of combos using BMW OEM wheel as core - so fitment of those would be fine also.

[B1N]

Originally Posted by 1QuikWS6

You can retrofit ANY of the following wheels on your car:

• M Sport Perforated Leather/Leather (MT or AT/Steptronic SSG Paddles)
• M3 Leather Tri-Stitch (MT or AT/DCT Paddles)
• Performance Alcantara Yellow Stripe, Flat Bottom (MT or AT/Steptronic SSG Paddles)
• Performance Alcantara Blue Stripe, Flat Bottom (MT or AT/DCT Paddles)
• Performance Electronic V2 Alcantara, Flat Bottom (MT or AT/Steptronic SSG paddles)

> Steptronic SSG Paddles = both sides shift either UP or DOWN
> DCT Paddles = 1 side shift UP, other side shift DOWN

If you buy MT (Manual Transmission) wheel, you won't have to buy anything else, it will be PnP & re-use all your existing airbag/trim/MFB - but of course you won't have paddle shift...

If you buy AT (Auto Transmission) wheel, you will need to buy the appropriate paddles (SSG or DCT as above), MFB for paddle shift, & the conversion harness as in my above post.

Here are pics of some other trims available:




There are also aftermarket companies out there that make E9x custom wheels in all sorts of combos using BMW OEM wheel as core - so fitment of those would be fine also.

wow what a great post, thanks so much for the informative information!

Sorry for the confusion, that is a picture i found on the internet with the same steering wheel but my one has paddle shift included already.

Does that mean I can just reuse my current multifunction buttons since I already have paddle shifters on my car? Do I need to buy new paddle shifters specifically for the m3 wheel or can I reuse my current ones?

And the last pic of the 3 trims, is it just the angle or is the m3 trim the smallest out of the group? If I want the thickest wheel which one would you recommend?

Thanks again for all your help!

[1QuikWS6]

Originally Posted by B1N

wow what a great post, thanks so much for the informative information!

Sorry for the confusion, that is a picture i found on the internet with the same steering wheel but my one has paddle shift included already.

Does that mean I can just reuse my current multifunction buttons since I already have paddle shifters on my car? Do I need to buy new paddle shifters specifically for the m3 wheel or can I reuse my current ones?

And the last pic of the 3 trims, is it just the angle or is the m3 trim the smallest out of the group? If I want the thickest wheel which one would you recommend?

Thanks again for all your help!

Ah, OK, I thought that was a pic of your wheel with no paddle shift

> Since you already HAVE paddle shift you will NOT need to buy the paddle shift specific MFB, or the conversion wiring harness - you could re-use all your existing parts.

> IDK what paddles you have on your car currently, but there are (2) different style cutouts in the rear of the wheels - one that is 'L Shaped' for the SSG paddles, and one that is 'rectangular' for the DCT paddles.

> The easily available M3 wheel will come with the rectangular DCT paddle cutouts. The DCT paddles obviously fit perfectly, whether your paddles will fit is based on what style you have...

You might be able to find the old style M3 wheel for AT that have the SSG L Shaped cutouts - but they are hard to come by.

> I know the old style pre-LCI SSG paddles need the L Shaped cutout to be correct, not sure what the LCI paddles use? I would assume that according to your year - you have the old style SSG paddles - they would be entirely a pearlescent chrome finish. The LCI SSG paddles are mainly black with chrome trim around edge.

> As for the trims, it must just be angle of pic, all the trims are the same shape/size that fit these wheels.

> You can also get aftermaket carbon fiber trims of the M & M3 trims that fit perfectly. I use a CF 'M' version.

[ATTN]

M3 or lci dct performs much better in terms of usage. Left paddle being down shift, right paddle being up shift.

[1QuikWS6]

Originally Posted by ATTN

M3 or lci dct performs much better in terms of usage. Left paddle being down shift, right paddle being up shift.

Yup, I prefer the DCT style operation

You can re-wire the SSG paddles to operate as the DCT - there are threads on the forum detailing - just do a Search